Chapter 2 – A Muse is Amused
Bella
I sure picked the perfect day to not do my hair. But, who would've guessed that we would get new students, especially near the end of the school year. And furthermore, who would've guessed that one of them would be my potential future boyfriend. His name is Emmett, the new guy. I don't care for that name too much but his looks override it. Bella and Emmett Cullen, that works for me. I could hardly get a chance to talk to him with all the girls in our homeroom all over him. He acted as if they didn't exist, though. Strange, but I'll make him notice me.
I walk into art class and sit next my best friend Jessica. She greets me with a smile and because I know her so well, I know that she is dying to tell me something. Jess is the queen of gossip. Anything is worthy of her rumor mill, literally anything. You could buy a new back pack and Jess will make sure everyone knows and she will even have a theory as to why you got one.
"OMG Bella you will never believe what I saw today!"
"Haha what is it this time Jess?"
"Ok, so there is this new group of people at our school. And two of them are super-hot. I mean one of them, Jasper, is taken and the other one isn't. I haven't got his name yet but he is totally gorgeous. The girls are pretty too I guess, but whatever. Mike won't stop talking about the blonde one."
"The other one's name is Emmett."
"Ohhh well, Emmett is a total hottie. Maybe you can ditch Riley and take him to the prom."
She nudges my rib playfully. I forgot all about prom. And speaking of Riley, I haven't seen him all day. He most likely ditched school today. He is a total bad boy and everyone knows it. Jessica likes him, but she loves Mike. At least she thinks she does. She only wants to take Riley to prom to make Mike jealous for whatever reason.
"Hey, Jess, have you seen Riley at all today?"
"Yeah. I saw him outside with his buddies making fun of that weird kid. You know, the one with the crush on you."
"Who has a crush on me? I mean besides the people I already know of. "
She points to some kid sitting in the corner of the class room.
"Masen!? He doesn't have a crush on me. He hardly knows me."
"Ha, yes he totally does Bella. He has been crushing on you for 2 years now. He watches you all the time, you haven't noticed?"
"Yea of course I noticed that. I just figured he was a perv or something."
"Well I don't know about that. I do know that he is very weird in general."
"Anyway, where is Riley?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since this morning, like I said. I am sure he is around somewhere. Maybe in the gym, since he never goes to class."
I shrug. The teacher walks in and announces our assignment for the week. He is always giving us some artsy fartsy assignment. Granted, this is art class, but he thinks we are like artistic prodigies or something. Our assignment is to turn something that inspires us into a work of art. This shouldn't be too hard. The sun inspires me, so I'll just draw that and add some seagulls or something. As you can guess I am not that artistic.
"This assignment should be easy to do. I will draw anything to do with fashion. Clothes inspire me. What are you inspired by Bella? I bet you're gonna draw something to do with Emmett or Riley? Haha just kidding!"
"Haha no. I'm gonna draw something to do with the sun. "
"The sun?"
"Yeah, you know I love the sun. "
"Heh, oh yeah. "
After sitting in class for about an hour the bell finally rings. I hop out of my seat and grab Jessica's hand and we head into the hallway. Before walking out, I spot the Masen kid. He looks petrified when I look at him and he freezes. He's so strange. I think I smirked or something.
Edward
She is looking at me now. She is grimacing or smirking. I don't know which one. That was strange. She's never looked at me without reason before. Maybe she… no I am not going to get my hopes up. I wonder what I should do for art class. I know Bella might do something with the sun or the sky. She's really fond of nature and such, especially the sun. Well at least I think it is the sun. Whenever the rare occasion arises that the sun shines in Forks she is always basking in it. She looks beautiful in it.
Well I guess that settles that. Bella will be my muse. After all I am captivated by anything to do with her. Although, I don't want to just show up into art class Monday with a rough sketch of Bella's face. That would only make the idea that I am a creep concrete. And although, I am using her as my muse doesn't mean I am. Haven't you ever been so in love with someone that you can't get them out of your head? No matter how hard you try, you can't shake their image. And I know that Bella does treat me like I don't exist and when she does speak to me it is usually very rudely. But, I can't help the way I feel about her. I feel drawn to her, as if she is the one I am supposed to be with.
Maybe she is. I do, however, have to figure out a way to draw Bella without drawing Bella. I will figure it out. Thank God I am good at art. I spend my entire Calculus class doodling Bella related things on my notebook. I draw the sunrise, chocolate, and apples; these are a few of her favorite things. Maybe I am on to something. Maybe I'm not. I damn near fell asleep in my AP Literature class. Like I said before, I don't get much sleep. I don't eat much either, so I might get some energy from lunch. I walk into the cafeteria and scan the place for my friends. James, Victoria and Laurent are my best and only friends. I use the word best loosely.
James once had a crush on Bella and when James wants you, he stops at nothing to get you. He would relentlessly pursue Bella, even though she would playfully, but seriously, reject him. You see, I am not necessarily the possessive type, but I know all about guys like James. He gets innocent girls to fall for him, deflowers them, and leaves them. I couldn't let him do that to my precious flower. She deserves much better than him. So, one day in between classes I see James slap Bella's ass. I am hurled into a whirlwind of blind fury and I go up to him and punch him square in the jaw. Next thing you know, I have a black eye and he has to get stitches and we are both suspended for a week. Thus, a friendship was born. He claims he admired the way I stood up for my woman.
Of course after being friends for 2 weeks he realized that Bella and I weren't a couple and that I was just some jealous guy with a crush. But, we remained friends. He introduced me to his current girlfriend, Victoria, and his other friend Laurent. He has been with Victoria for 2 years now, and it seems that she keeps him in check. Anyway, we don't hang out with each other outside of school. They just talk to me in the hallways, classes, and at lunch. I slide in next to Laurent as he is reading a book, ignoring James and Victoria's make-out session.
"What are you reading?"
He closes the book and laughs a little.
"It's a weird book about killing mockingbirds and racism or something. Honestly, I do not know what it's about. I was only skimming the pages to distract myself from that"
He is hinting to the oblivious couple.
"Ha ha do you think they will come up for air at some point?"
"I don't know. Eddie my man, we need to get ourselves some women. "
I cringe when he says Eddie. I hate that name. God I hate that name.
"Yea I know. Who do you have sights for?"
"Have you seen that fine blond honey that started at our school today? Rosalie, I think her name is. Mm she sure is fine. You know I love my women blond."
"I don't know who she is. I haven't met her."
I lied. I don't know why. It just slipped out. I know exactly who is he talking about. She's the really pretty blond, who I saw walking with the short haired girl and blonde boy and him. I also didn't know that Laurent had a fondness of blond women. Now I do.
"What? Every guy in this school has the hots for her. Look, there my future girl is now."
He points at a table on the other side of the cafeteria. There she is. Sitting still and talking to her sister...or friend. She has really perfect posture, as a matter of fact they all do. I look over and he is sitting there and smirking as if he can hear every girl's heart cry out for him. What a smug asshole. I swear I could just dump my food over his head and tell him to get over himself. I know I seem hostile but if you could see him, you would feel the same.
"Hey not every guy wants her"
James interjects. I had forgotten he was there.
"Whoa he speaks!"
James throws a napkin at Laurent's head. Victoria grins and leans forward really close and gestures for us to do the same. We do.
"I hear they are all related. But that can't be right, can it? I mean look…"
She points toward the short haired one and the blonde boy holding hands. I get where she is going with that. Yeesh.
"Now now, baby, don't go starting rumors."
"I didn't start it. I am simply spreading it in hopes of confirmation of the facts."
"Well, I don't care what those other too are doing. Blondie is single so I am gonna make a move."
I envy Laurent's confidence. I could never go up to Bella and just ask her out or flirt.
"You don't have the balls to ask her out L. You will choke haha!"
Laurent puts out his hand toward James after he makes the comment. James looks back at Laurent with a devilish grin and shakes his hand. This is their way of making a bet. They are mostly frivolous bets, but nonetheless entertaining. Laurent gets out of his seat and walks over towards the table with Rosalie and the others. None of them even look up at him when he arrives. I can see his mouth moving, and moving, and moving, and moving. They completely ignore his existence. Then he goes to grab her hand and snatches his hand away quickly. She looks up at him and says something. Laurent nods slightly and returns with an odd look on his face.
"Looks like someone got rejected! Ha ha ha!"
Laurent didn't look the least bit amused by James' teasing. He instead picks up his book and actually starts to read, I think. He mutters something. I couldn't quite make out what he said. And apparently no one cared. James just went back to kissing Victoria and I just shrugged and picked at my lunch.
Bella
"He is so cute. I have to go to prom with him."
I feel Jess get excited by my statement. She turns towards me and is about to say something then I feel someone put their arm around my waist.
"Hey sweet lips! How's lunch?"
It's Riley. Sweet lips? God he is so obnoxious. He kisses my cheek and sits in the chair next to me.
"Hey hun. Where have you been all day?"
"Oh me and the guys were just in the weight room. You know, working on the guns."
He flexes and smirks. If he wasn't so cute I would break up with him. He is a douchebag.
"You hardly have any muscle Riley. Bella is not impressed by your baby biceps."
"Shutup Jess. Your boyfriend is total sissy."
"Takes one to know one and anyway if I were you I'd watch out."
"What is that supposed to mean"
"It means that the new guy is the total package. Every girl wants him."
I nudge her in the rib. God, she talks so fucking much. Riley looks at me and raises his eyebrow.
"Is this true Bells? Do you want that loser Cullen too?"
"He isn't a loser. And I didn't say I wanted him."
"See that Jess, my girl knows a real man when she sees one. See you later baby."
He kisses me on the forehead and walks away and joins his friends. They exit the cafeteria, completely disregarding the rules yet again. I look over at Jess, grimacing.
"What? You didn't deny that you wanted him either."
"That's not the point. You know how jealous Riley gets."
"Cause he is an insecure tool."
I try to keep an angry look but I end up chuckling with her. It's true. I look over at Emmett. The blond girl leans in and says something to him. He smiles and looks away. Bitch. I need to find a way to get him alone or away from them. I noticed that no matter where they go they are always together. It's fucking annoying. But what can I do to get him alone?
"Earth to Bella!"
Jess snaps me out of my train of thought. I hate when she does that.
"What?"
"What are you soo deep in thought about over there? Is it Emmmmmeeeetttt?"
"Don't say his name like that. And yeah, I am trying to think of a way to get him alone to talk."
"Good luck with that. He never leaves the other's side. I mean it's not like you can just invite him to your house."
She chuckles. She is actually right though. I can't just invite him to my house. But I know what I can do.
"Jessica you are a fucking genius!"
"Yeah, I've been told. Wait, what did I do? Bella you can't just invite him to your house"
"I can. I mean, I won't invite just him. I will invite everyone to my house. I will throw a party."
"Ohhh I like parties. That's a great idea Bella. But how do you know he will come?"
"I am going to invite him. Tell everyone I am having a party at my house tonight. Starts at 9."
"Is your dad going to be okay with that? It's awfully short notice."
"He won't care. It is Friday after all."
The bell rings for lunch dismissal. I grab my stuff and speed walk over to Emmett's table. I catch them as they are getting up. Not one of them looks at me. Fucking rude.
"Hey! I am having a party at my house tonight. I would like to formally invite all of you. All of you. My best friend is sending texts out with the address. So you can just find out from someone you know."
They each look up at me and just stare blankly. All of them have these honey colored eyes. It's totally mesmerizing. I almost forgot why I was standing there. I remember why. And I also remember that they probably don't have any friends and won't know how to get my address. I open one of my notebooks and rip out a piece of paper. I pick up a pen off of the table. I figure it was the blond chick's because she inhaled sharply as I picked it up. Get over yourself. I scribble down my address and reach out to hand it to Emmett, who just looks at it. The girl with the short hair grabs it from my hand.
"We will be there. Thanks."
"Uhh, yeah, ok. Great."
They glide away. I just stand there for a moment and then I hear the warning bell. I leave the cafeteria and head to my final class. Since I am a senior and have maintained a gpa of 3.5 for 4 years I qualified for early dismissal. Thank the heavens I am not dumb. This gives me plenty of time to set up for the party. My Calculus class ends quicker than it usually does. Fucking awesome. I am super excited about this party. I have to look my very best if I am going to woo Emmett. He is the only guy in this school who seems to not have a care in the world. I throw my books in my locker and head to the door. I fumble for my car keys and walk dead into someone.
"Oh sorry, see ya at the party. "
I don't even look up to see who it is. So I probably just invited some random fucking freshman. Oh well, they don't know where I live, so they will just ignore me anyway. I get my keys out of my pocket finally, and get in my jeep. I put the keys in my ignition and look up to check my rearview. I see Emmett getting into his car. Yay! He's smart too. I look forward and see that Masen kid looking at me again. Ugh. I drive home to get started on the party plans. I'm way more excited than I should be. Or not excited enough, not sure which one. Either way, I am happy.